The forest was silent again, but the tension in the air remained. Emma's heart still pounded from the fight, her hand trembling slightly as she clenched the Ruby Stone. The warmth had faded, but a lingering heat remained beneath her skin, reminding her of the power she had just unleashed.
She had won. But the battle had taken more out of her than she expected.
Rahi stood beside her, arms crossed, his silver eyes scanning the darkened trees. "That Shadow Hound was just a scout. More will come."
Emma swallowed hard. "So what do we do?"
Rahi glanced at her, his gaze calculating. "We move. Now."
She wanted to protest—her body ached, her energy was drained—but she knew he was right. If the Eclipse King's forces had tracked her this far, it was only a matter of time before something worse showed up.
Emma took a deep breath and forced herself to step forward. "Where are we going?"
Rahi didn't answer immediately. He started walking, motioning for her to follow. "There's a place. A temple hidden deep in the mountains. If we can get there, you might find the answers you need."
Emma frowned. "Answers about what?"
Rahi turned his head slightly. "The stones. And your mother's secret."
Her breath caught. Her mother's secret?
She had always known there was more to the stones than what little her mother had told her before she died. But if this temple held the truth…
She needed to see it for herself.
"How far is it?" she asked.
"A few days' travel," Rahi said. "If we don't run into trouble."
Emma sighed. "Knowing my luck, we will."
Rahi smirked. "At least you're prepared for it now."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips.
__________________________________________________________________
Nightfall
By the time the sun had set, they had covered miles of rough terrain. The deeper they went into the forest, the denser and more unnatural it became. Trees stood taller, their branches twisting toward the sky like reaching hands. The air grew colder, and Emma swore she could feel whispers in the wind.
"Something about this place feels… wrong," she murmured.
Rahi didn't respond immediately. His gaze was sharp, scanning the area as if expecting an ambush. "The forest is old," he finally said. "And things older than men still linger here."
Emma shivered. "That's comforting."
"We'll rest here for the night," Rahi announced, stopping near a large boulder surrounded by thick trees. "The terrain ahead is too risky to travel in the dark."
Emma let out a breath of relief. She was exhausted. Her body still ached from the fight, and her mind was heavy with thoughts of what lay ahead.
As she dropped her pack to the ground, she noticed Rahi pulling out a small silver dagger. He knelt near the edges of the clearing and began carving symbols into the dirt.
Emma frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Setting up wards," he replied without looking up. "These will keep unwanted creatures away while we sleep."
Emma's eyes widened. "You can use magic?"
Rahi smirked. "Surprised?"
She crossed her arms. "A little. You don't exactly seem like the 'mystical spellcaster' type."
"I'm full of surprises." He stood, brushing the dirt off his hands. "Now get some rest. We leave at dawn."
Emma sighed and leaned back against the boulder. Her body begged for sleep, but her mind raced with questions.
Why had her mother never told her the full truth about the stones? What secrets did this temple hold?
And more importantly… could she really trust Rahi?
She glanced at him. He sat by the fire, sharpening his blade again, his expression unreadable.
There was something about him. Something he wasn't saying.
Emma sighed and closed her eyes. She would figure it out soon enough.
For now, she needed sleep.
____________________________________________________________________
The Dream
Darkness surrounded her.
Emma stood in an endless void, her breath echoing in the silence. The air was heavy, thick with something ancient.
Then—a voice.
"Emma…"
She turned sharply. A figure emerged from the darkness—a woman, her long silver hair flowing like mist. Her eyes glowed softly, filled with something Emma couldn't quite understand.
Her heart clenched. "Mother?"
The woman smiled sadly. "You're close, my child. But danger follows you."
Emma took a step forward. "I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?"
"You must remember," the voice whispered. "The truth hidden within the stones."
Before Emma could ask more, the world around her shattered.
___________________________________________________________________
Waking Up
Emma jolted awake, gasping for breath. Her skin was cold, sweat dripping down her forehead. The fire had burned low, casting flickering shadows across the trees.
Rahi sat across from her, watching. "Bad dream?"
Emma swallowed. "Something like that."
His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he nodded toward the horizon. "Dawn is coming. We should move."
Emma exhaled, trying to push the dream from her mind. But her mother's words still echoed in her ears.
"The truth hidden within the stones."
Whatever it was, she was going to find out.
And she had a feeling that once she did…
Nothing would ever be the same again.